Doorlatch construction



Dec. 12, 1933.

w. C. DEVEREAUX DOORLATCH CONSTRUCTION Filed April 1-0, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l W. C. DEVEREAUX DOORLATCH CONSTRUCTION Dec. 12, 1933.

Filed April 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 1 I 1 1 14 /l///// I! m6 om "222mm Ciierereaur r I A Patented Dec. 12, 1933 DOORLATCH CONSTRUCTION William C. Devereaux, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 10, 1933.

22 Claims.

This invention relates generally to door latch mechanism, especially vehicle door latch mechanism, and consists of certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a 13 door latch mechanism embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof with parts broken away and in section;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the construction illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the yoke E and plate 26 in elevated position;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 29 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a slightly modified construction;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the construction illustrated in Figure 7 and showing the latch bolt retracted by the outside rollback;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but show= ing the plate 69 disengaged from the lateral flange of the bolt shank;

Figure 10 is a detail view of the plate 69; Figure 11 is a section taken on the line 1111 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings, A is a latch case plate having substantially parallel portions 1 and 2, respectively, attachable to opposite sides of an all metal door and having an intermediate transversely extending portion 3 at the forward edges of said portions attachable to the forward free edge of the door. B is a latch bolt extending through an opening in the transversely extend- 0 ing portion 3 for engagement with a suitable keeper not shown) and having a pressed metal shank 4 disposed substantially parallel to and movable longitudinally over the inner side of the inner portion 1, and C is a spring anchored upon the inner side of said portion and having an arm 5 engaging the rear end of the bolt 13 and normally holding the latter in projected position. D is a cover plate disposed substantially parallel to the outer portion of the case plate having inturned lugs 6 and '7, respectively, at diametrically opposite sides thereof rigidly secured to said portion 2; E is a yoke having substantially parallel portions 8 and 9, respectively, between the outer portion 2 and cover plate D and between the inner portion 1 and shank 4 and hav- Serial No. 665,454

ing an intermediate transversely extending portion 10 movable in a vertical arc in an opening 11 in the transversely extending portion 3 of the case plate. Preferably the parallel portions 8 and 9 of the yoke are provided with laterally projecting hub portions 12 and 13, respectively, that are journaled in the portions 1 and 2 of the case plate, while the intermediate portion 10 is connected by a coil spring 14 to the intermediate portion 3 of the case plate. The outer portion 9 of the yoke has a square, opening 15 in the hub 13 for receiving the stem 16 of an outside operating handle 17 and is provided at its rear edge with a pair of spaced lugs 18 and 19 that straddle a pin 20 projecting laterally from a rollback 21 upon the inner side of the cover plate D while the inner portion 8 of the yoke has an upstanding arm 24 that is engageable with a lateral flange 25 of a pivotally mounted plate 26 to effect a retraction of the bolt. Preferably the rollback 21 hasa square opening 29 for receiving the stem 16 and is provided at substantially diametrically opposite points thereof with lugs 30 and 31, respectively, that are alternately engageable with the lugs 6 and 7 upon being turned. 8

In the present instance, the plate 26 is pivoted on a stud or rivet 33 projecting laterally from the inner portion 1 of the case plate and is adapted to be swung about said pivot by an auxiliary plate 34 and a longitudinally movable $5 link 35 of suitable remote control mechanism H constituting the bolt retracting means upon the inner side of the door. As shown, the auxiliary plate 34 is pivoted on the stud 33 between the shank 4 and plate 26 and has an upper edge 36 engageable with an inturned flange 37 at the upper edge of the plate 26. Arms 38 and 39, respectively, project downwardly from the plates 34 and 26 in front and in rear of a stud 40 projecting laterally from the link 35. Preferably the stud 33 that constitutes the pivot for the plate 26 engages horizontally aligned longitudinally extending slots 42 and 43, respectively, in the bolt shank and plate 26 and serves as a guide for said shank and plate during longitudinal movement thereof. while the stud 40 forming the operating connection between the link 35 and plates 26 and 34 engages another longitudinally extending slot 44 in the boltshank and is adapted upon being engaged with the rear end of said slot to engage the arm 39 and cause the flange 25 to abut the forward edge 46 of the bolt shank 4. Continued movement of the link 35 to the rear will cause the shank 4 and bolt B to be retracted against the tension of the spring C. The lateral flange 25 of the plate 26 is normally in advance of the for ward edge 46 of the bolt shank and upon being moved rearwardly by the arm 24 of the yoke will also cause the shank 4 and bolt B to be retracted against the tension of the spring C. However, when the remote control link is moved forwardly from the normal bolt retracting position, the stud will move forwardly in the slot 44 and will engage the arm 38 of the auxiliary plate 34. Continued forward movement of said link 35 will then cause the auxiliary plate 34 to press upwardly against the inturned flange 3'7 of the plate 26 so that the forward end of the plate 26 including the flange 25 will be raised about the pivot 33 until the flange 25 will be wholly above and clear of the arm 24 of the yoke. (See Figure 5). As a result movement of the yoke E by the outside handle 17 will be without effect insofar as the retraction of the bolt 13 is concerned. Such retraction can be effected only when the flange 25 of the plate 26 is in lowered position in advance of the forward edge 46 of the bolt shank 4. However, regardless of whether the flange 25 is in. lowered or raised position the bolt B is free to move rearwardly, for instance, when the door is slammed shut. Should the flange 25 be in raised position when this is done the forward end of the slot 44 will engage and cause the stud 40 to move rearwardly against the arm 39, hence the plate 26 will be swung about its pivot 33 so that the flange 25 will again be in lowered position between the arm 24 and edge 46 of the bolt shank. Such movement of the stud 40 will also cause the auxiliary plate 34 and link 35 to be returned to normal position so that the bolt B may again be retracted by either the outside handle 17 or the inside handle 49 of the remote control mechanism. Consequently there is no danger of the driver of an automobile equipped with such mechanism being locked out. The spring 14 terminally secured to the yoke E and intermediate portion 3 of the case plate always exerts enough tension to hold the yoke E and outside handle 17 in their normal position when the parts are released.

In Figures 7 10, inclusive, I have illustrated a. slight modification wherein L is a latch case plate attachable to the inner side of a composite door; M is a laterally projecting flange at the forward edge of said plate attachable to the forward edge of such a door, and N is a latch bolt extending through an opening in the flange M for engagement with a suitable keeper (not shown), and having a pressed metal shank 0 disposed substantially parallel to and movable longitudinally over the inner side of the case plate L. 50 is 9. lug struck out from the shank adjacent the rear end of the bolt; 51 is a spring anchored on the inner side of the case plate and having an arm 52 engaging the lug 50 and normally holding the bolt N in projected position; and 53 is a stud or rivet projecting laterally inwardly from the case plate adjacent the rear edge thereof and engaging a longitudinally extending slot 54 in the shank O for guiding the latter during longitudinal movement thereof. 55 is a cover plate substantially parallel to the inner side of the case plate just in rear of the lateral flange M and having lugs 56 and 57. respectively, secured to said case plate L and flange M. 58 is a rollback having a hub 59 journaled in aligned openings in the case plate L and cover plate 55 and having 9. depending arm 60; and 61 is a handle stem operable from the outer side of the door by a suitable handle (not shown) and received in a square opening 62 in the rollback hub. 63 is a cover plate substantially parallel and secured to the inner side of the case plate L at a point above and to the rear of the cover plate 55. 64 is a handle stem operable from the inner side of the door by a suitable handle (not shown) and journaled in aligned openings in the case plate L and cover plate 63; and 65 is a rollback non-rotatively secured to the stem 64 between the case plate L and cover plate 63 and having a depending arm 66 and a depending lug 67. 68 is a lug struck out from the bolt shank and adapted to be engaged by the arm 66 of the rollback 65 when the latter is turned anti-clockwise to effect a retraction of the bolt. 69 is a plate between the shank O and case plate L and having an upwardly opening slot 70 normally receiving the lower edge 71 of the lug 68. 72 is a stud or rivet projecting laterally from the plate 69 and pivotally and slidably engaging a longitudinally extending slot 73 in the bolt shank O; 74 is a lug projecting laterally from the plate 69 and engageable by the depending arm 60 of the rollback 58; and '75 is a coil spring extending between the rear end of the plate 69 and an end '76 of a slot '77 in the bolt shank O and urging the plate 69 forwardly so that the stud 72 will normally be at the forward end of the slot 73 and the lug 74 will normally be just in rear of the rollback arm 60. Preferably lugs and 81, respectively, project forwardly and rearwardly from the end 76 of the slot and from the rear end of the plate 69 and are received within opposite ends of the coil spring '15. An arm 82 extends upwardly from the plate 69 at the rear edge of the slot '70 for engagement by the depending lug 67 of the rollback 65, and a lug 83 is pressed out from the bolt shank O beneath the plate 69 to limit downward movement of the latter by the rollback lug 67. Any suitable means such as a strip spring 84 carried by the cover plate 63 may be used to detachably hold the rollback 65 when the lug 67 thereof is in engagement with the arm 82 of the plate 69.

In use, when the inside rollback 65 is moved anti-clockwise the arm 66 thereof will engage the lug 68 of the bolt shank and will cause the latter and the bolt N to be retracted against the tension of the spring 51. Normally the plate 69 is held in raised position by the spring 75 so that the slot '70 receives the lower edge 71 of the lug 68 of the bolt shank, consequently engagement of the arm 60 of the rollback 58 with the lug '74 of the plate 69 upon movement of the rollback in an anti-clockwise direction will cause the plate 69, shank O and bolt N to be retracted in unison against the tension of the spring 51. To render the outside rollback 58 inoperative while at the same time permitting free retraction of the bolt N upon slamming the door, the inside rollback 65 may be turned in a clockwise direction so that the lug 67 thereof will engage the upstanding arm 82 of the plate 69. This will cause the rear end of the plate 69 to be swung downwardly with the stud 72 as the pivot point until the slot 70 is wholly beneath the lug 68 of the bolt shank. As

coil spring will raise the plate 69 to its normal interlocking position with the lug 68 of the bolt shank so that the latter and the bolt may be retracted by movement in an anti-clockwise direction of either the inside rollback 65 or the outside rollback 58. Moreover, if the rear end of the plate 69 has been lowered by the rollback 65 and the door is slammed shut, the forward end of the slot 73 in the shank will engage the stud 72 and cause the plate 69 to be moved rearwardly. Likewise the lug 68 of the bolt shank will engage the forward edge 90 of the lug 6'7 and will cause the rollback 65 to be moved anti-clockwise to normal position. The spring '75 will then cause the rear end of the plate 69 to be raised so that the lower edge of the lug 68 of the bolt shank will again be received in the slot '70 in the plate. Consequently the bolt N may again be retracted by the outside rollback 58 or inside rollback 65. Thus there is no danger of the driver of an automobile equipped with such mechanism being locked out.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, an operating member, a line drive between said member and bolt, a second operating member, means operable by said second member for removing a part of said line drive to render the first mentioned member inoperative, and means operable upon a retracting movement of said bolt by any means other than by said operating members to restore the line drive aforesaid.

2. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, an operating member, a line drive between said member and bolt, a second member for retracting said bolt, and means operable by said second member for removing a part of said line drive to render said first member inoperative and operable by said bolt to restore said part so that said drive is operable by said first mentioned member.

3. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, an operating member, an operating connection between said member and bolt, a second operating member, means operable by the second mentioned member for breaking the connection between the first mentioned member and bolt so that the first mentioned member will be rendered inoperative, and means operable by said bolt for restoring the connection aforesaid so that the bolt may be operated by said first member.

4. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, a pair of independently operable members for effecting a retraction of said bolt, and a driving connection between one of said members and said bolt including a part actuable by the other of said members to render the first mentioned member inoperative, said part being operable upon a retracting movement of the bolt by any means other than by the independently operable members to render the first mentioned member operative.

5. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, a bolt retracting member operable from the outer side of a door, a bolt retracting member operable from the inner side of a door, a driving connection between the first mentioned member and bolt including a part normally in the path of said member but movable out of said path by the second mentioned member, and means associated with the bolt and operable upon retraction thereof to cause the part aforesaid to be positioned in the path of the first mentioned member.

6. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank, a bolt retracting member, a second bolt retracting member, a driving connection between the first mentioned member and bolt including an element movable by the second mentioned member into and out of engagement with said shank, and means operable upon retraction of the bolt to cause said element to be engaged with the shank so that the bolt may be retracted by said first mentioned member.

7. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, a bolt retracting member, an operating connection between said member and bolt, a second bolt retracting member, and means operable by said second member to alternately make and break the driving connection between the first mentioned member and bolt, said means being also operable upon a retracting movement of the bolt to cause the connection aforesaid to be made.

8. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, an operating member, an operating connection between said member and bolt, a second operating member, means operable by said second member for effecting a retraction of the bolt and for alternately making and breaking the connection between said first mentioned member and bolt, and means operable upon a retracting movement of the bolt by any means other than by said members to make the connection aforesaid.

9. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank, a pair of independently operable members, an element movable into and out of operative engagement with the shank and operable by either of said members when in engagement with the shank for effecting a retraction of the bolt, and means operable by one of said members for disengaging said element from the shank to render the other of said members inoperative.

10. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank, a pair of independently operable bolt retracting members, a driving connection between one of said members and bolt including an element movable by the other of said members into and out of engagement with the shank, and means operable upon a retracting movement of the bolt by any means other than by said retracting members to move said element into engagement with the shank so that the bolt may be retracted by either of said members.

11. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank, a pair of independently operable bolt retracting members, and a driving connection between one of said members and bolt including an element actuable by either the bolt or the other of said members.

12. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt. an operating member, a line drive between said member and bolt, and means operable by other operating means for removing a part of said line drive to render said operating member inopera tive and operable by said bolt to restore said part so thatsaid drive is operable.

13. In a door latch mechanism, a retractable latch bolt having a shank, an operating member, a driving connection between said member and bolt including an element movable into and out of engagement with said shank, and means operable upon retraction of said bolt to cause said element to be engaged with said shank so that the bolt may be retracted.

14. In a door latch, a latch bolt, means operable from the outer side of a door for retracting said bolt, means operable from the inner side of the door for retracting said bolt, means operable by the inside means for rendering the outside means ineffective, and means operable upon retraction of the bolt by any means other than the first and second mentioned means aforesaid for rendering the third mentioned means ineffective so that the bolt may be retracted by either the first or the second mentioned means.

15. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank, a pivotally mounted retracting member, an operating connection between said member and bolt including a pivotally mounted plate having a lateral flange engageable with the bolt shank, a second bolt retracting member including a stud engageable with the bolt shank, means operable by the second mentioned member for disengaging the lateral flange'from the bolt shank, and means operable by the stud upon a retracting movement of the bolt for restoring the engagement between the lateral flange and bolt shank.

16. In a doorlatch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank, a pivotally mounted retracting member, a longitudinally movable retracting member, a driving connection between said longitudinally movable member and bolt including a stud carried by said longitudinally movable member and engageable with said shank, a driving connection between said pivotally mounted retracting member and bolt including a pivotally mounted plate having an arm engageable by said stud upon a retracting movement of the bolt and having a lateral flange engageable with the bolt shank, and means for disengaging the lateral flange from the bolt shank to break the connection between the pivotally mounted retracting member and bolt including means operable by the stud aforesaid and engageable with said plate.

17. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank provided with a lateral flange, a bolt retracting member, a driving connection between said member and bolt including a plate engageable by said member and engageable with the flange, yieldable means urging engagement of the plate with said flange, and a second bolt retracting member engageable with the flange to effect a retraction of the bolt and operable to move the plate relative to the flange against the tension of the yieldable means to break the connection between the first mentioned member and bolt, said second mentioned retracting member being actuable by the flange upon a retracting movement of the bolt to permit the operating connection between the plate and flange to be restored by the yieldable means aforesaid.

18. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank provided with a lateral flange, a retracting member, a driving connection between said retracting member and bolt including a pivotally mounted element having a recess receiving the lateral flange of the shank, and a second retracting member having a portion engageable with the lateral flange 01' the shank to efiect a retraction of the bolt and having another portion for moving the pivotally mounted element so that the recess therein will be free of the lateral flange, thereby causing the driving connection between the first mentioned member and bolt to be broken. I

19. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank provided with a lateral flange, inside bolt retracting means engageable with said flange to effect a retraction of the bolt, outside bolt retracting means, and a driving connection between said outside retracting means and bolt including a member actuable by said outside retracting means, having a recess normally receiving the lateral flange of the bolt shank, and movable by the inside retracting means so that the recess in said member will be free of the lateral flange of the bolt shank.

20. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank, a retracting member, a second retracting member, a driving connection between the second member and bolt including a projection carried by the second member and engageable with the shank, a driving connection between the first mentioned member and bolt including and element having an arm engageable by the projection upon a retracting movement of the bolt and having a lateral flange engageable by the bolt shank, and means for disengaging the lateral flange from the bolt sh'ank to break the connection between the first mentioned member and bolt including means operable by the project-ion and engageable with said element.

21. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt having a shank, a retracting member, a second retracting member, a driving connection between said second member and bolt including a projection carried by the second member and engageable with said shank, a driving connection between said first mentioned member and bolt including a pivotally mounted element having an arm engageable by said projection upon a retracting movement of the bolt and having a lateral flange engageable with the bolt shank, said element having a second lateral flange, and means for disengaging the first mentioned lateral flange from the bolt shank to break the connection between the first mentioned member and bolt including a pivotally mounted element operable by the projection and engageable with the second mentioned lateral flange of the first mentioned element.

22. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, a bolt retracting member operable from the outer side of the door, a bolt retracting member operable from the inner side of the door, a driving connection between the first mentioned member and bolt including a pivotally mounted element normally in the path of the first mentioned member but movable out of said path by the second mentioned member, and means operable upon retraction of the bolt to cause the pivotally mounted element to be positioned in the path of the first mentioned member.

WILLIAM C. DEVEREAUX. 

